This application claims priority of Korea patent Application No. 10-2000-0063976, filed on Oct. 30, 2000.
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for measuring a door sealing gap of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for measuring a door sealing gap of a vehicle in which a coordinate system is generated using reflectors and laser beams, and 3D CAD data is trace-rotated using the coordinate system to measure a sealing gap for weather-stripping between a door panel and a side-out panel.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Weather-stripping is typically mounted to a door panel of a vehicle and provides a variety of functions. For example, weather-stripping acts to absorb shock generated between the door panel and side-out panel when the door is closed. Also, weather-stripping helps to seal the passenger compartment so that air is prevented from entering or exiting the passenger compartment, and to prevent or minimize the entrance of external noises into the passenger compartment. To design weather-stripping so that it can better perform these functions, the sealing gap, that is the gap between the door panel and the sideout panel, must be precisely measured. With such precise measurements, weather-stripping can be designed to better perform its functions.
Using conventional methods to measure the gap, with reference to FIG. 6, one person is positioned within the passenger compartment and another person is positioned outside the vehicle, and a gap ruler is used to measure internal and external gaps xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d of a door panel 51 and a side-out panel 53, which are sealed by weather-stripping 55. This measurement is performed in a state where the door is mounted to the vehicle and closed.
However, precise measurements are not possible with such crude techniques, and human error is highly likely.
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for measuring a door sealing gap of a vehicle, in which a coordinate system is generated using reflectors and laser beams, and 3D CAD data is trace-rotated using the coordinate system to measure a sealing gap for weather-stripping between a door panel and a side-out panel.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for measuring a door sealing gap comprising the steps of establishing a base coordinate system based on a car line coordinate system by detecting NC holes of a block base on which a vehicle body and a door are placed and generating the base coordinate system; converting the base coordinate system into an established coordinate system so that a laser measuring unit can recognize the base coordinate system as the car line coordinate system; generating a reference rotational axis by detecting hinge holes that are used for mounting the door onto the vehicle body, displaying the hinge holes in real-time through a controller, and setting a line passing through center points of the hinge holes as the reference rotational axis; mounting the door to the vehicle body, and mounting reflectors at predetermined positions at areas around a window opening in the door; generating initial reflector position values, in a state where the door is closed, by irradiating laser beams onto the reflectors using the laser measuring unit, then detecting reflected laser beam signals and outputting position information signals to the controller, after which the received signals are used to generate initial reflector position values for performing rotation about the reference rotational axis; measuring, in a state where the door is open, positions of the reflectors using the laser measuring unit and outputting corresponding signals to the controller, then scanning specific areas for measuring the sealing gap using a probe; displaying surface data of the specific areas scanned in the above step in real-time, and performing CAD data trace-rotation in which the surface data is rotated to the measured initial position centered about the reference rotational axis; and determining a sealing gap based on the surface data of the specific areas.
According to a feature of the present invention, the base coordinate system is a six-direction coordinate system.
According to another feature of the present invention, the surface data of the specific areas are realized through 3D CAD data.